


Jason Todd and the Jokester!

by orphan_account



Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Earth-3, Elseworlds
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-11
Updated: 2019-06-29
Packaged: 2020-02-29 21:01:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,046
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18786133
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Jason stared at the pale faced comedian; he had all of the Joker's scars and hideous markings, but that man was definitely not the Joker. Batman: alt universe / main continuity crossover.





	1. Chapter 1

Jackie, also known as the Jokester, celebrity comedian, part-time superhero, and the only Joker his world would ever know, winced as he opened his eyes.

"Oh no! It should have killed me! Why am I still alive?"

At first, his vision was blurry. Then, things slowly came back into focus. The first thing he saw was the bald guy with the weird facial hair. Duela, his daughter, had such a sense of humor; bald-guy-with-weird-facial-hair would be his nickname for every monitor he saw from now on!

"Heh!" Jackie said.

"Miraculously, the blast didn't kill you, Jokester. You're back on your Earth," the monitor said.

"Who asked for an encore? No offense, pinkie, but can I just go back to the flower bed? I was having the most wonder-ful dream," Jackie asked.

"I'm not sure I understand," the monitor said.

"All of my friends and family are gone; all that waits for me is the Crime Society and the sharp talons of a cruel owl..."

The monitor continued staring at the clown.

"...who dresses like an overly flamboyant chicken, but I guess that's besides the point..." the clown said.

"No, you need to get up, because believe it or not, your city needs you," a young boy's voice said.

Jackie totally recognized that voice.

"Talon?"

"You can call me Jason," the boy said.

"Okay, me Jason.." the clown said.

The kid smiled.

"My, you're an easy audience when old daddy Owl isn't around, aren't you?" Jackie said.

"I was going to tell you that I had left the Crime Society and had resigned as Owlman's sidekick the day your daughter introduced me to you, but you never gave me the opportunity," Jason said.

Jackie looked at Jason and then frowned.

"Gee, Talon, the most words I've ever heard you speak, and you used them to lie to me," Jackie said.

"What? No, I'm serious,"

"Rule number one, never show up in the uniform if you no longer have the job..." Jackie said, motioning to Talon's clothes.

Jason looked down at his Talon uniform.

"Oh, this? I just haven't gotten any more clothes..." Jason said with a blush.

"Yikes, the kids at school must tease you a lot," Jackie said with a smirk.

"You..know what I meant, right?" Jason asked.

His banter with Jason reminded him of Duela, and a sudden overwhelming grief came over him. He tried to fight the tears.

"She's dead, Jason. I can't think of anything I have to live for. That stunt I pulled should have been my curtain call!"

"What about the people who are still oppressed by the Crime Society?" Jason asked.

"What about 'em?" Jackie asked, still trying to fight tears.

The kid let out an exasperated sigh.

"You mean to tell me you would just leave this Earth in the hands of super powered tyrants? What kind of hero are you?"

"A bad one..." Jackie said.

It wasn't a lie. Apparently he was such a bad hero that on another Earth, he actually murdered someone. Talk about depressing.

The kid let out yet another sigh.

"Okay, okay...I'm joking," Jackie said, wiping away more tears, "I get it. The people look up to me as their protector and all, but my own life's in shambles. How can I help anyone else laugh at the darkness when I'm not laughing? You know, kiddo, if you get walked on enough, you start to see the world for the way it really is-one big hideous joke,"

"..but you're the comedian..."

"I'm a comedian, but not the comedian; he's not really a very nice guy. I've met him, wears a pin like this one," Jackie said, motioning to his smiley face pin and wiping away a few more stray tears.

"You know what I mean," Jason said.

"Yeah, I just can't pass up the opportunity for a good one-liner, even if I am so sad I don't want to live..." Jackie said.

Jackie looked to see the monitor still standing there. He thought he would have left by now.

"Hey, pinkie, you staying for lunch or something?"

"I...was just trying to make sure everything was okay with you before I left; you survived great hardship and you must not give in to your depression," the monitor said.

Just the serious tone and the sound of his voice made Jackie crack a smile.

"Do or do not, there is no try," Jackie said mockingly.

With that, the monitor pressed some button on his device and teleported out of the room.

"You know, I wish I knew how he did that, don't you?" Jackie asked.

Jason continued to just stare.

"What's the matter, kiddo? I won't bite you know."

"You have every right to be mad. I was Owlman's sidekick. I hurt you, and.."

"Ah tomato-tomahto...I don't wanna talk about that; it's a new day, I guess? Or is it night?... and as long as I have  _someone_  who still believes in me, I guess I'll be okay. All I need is an audience after all,"

"That's funny...what I needed was a family," Jason said, eyebrow quirked.

"Things didn't work out so well with you and the Owl, huh?"

"You don't know the half of it,"

"I've got all the time in the world if you wanna talk," Jackie said.

Jason, the ex-Talon of Owlman sat and talked with the clown in the abandoned warehouse-the Riddler's burned up base. Sure, it  _could_  have been a trap, but so what? Jackie was still willing to listen. Talon metaphorically cried on his shoulder about how working for Owlman wasn't a bed of roses. Well, maybe it was like a literal bed of roses, with the thorns and all, but that's besides the point.

"Poor kid; y'know, sorry for not looking past the domino mask," Jackie said.

Without prejudice, Jackie pulled the ex-Talon into an embrace and mussed his hair.

Even though he was still stinging from his injuries, Jackie thought a nice bear hug felt good, especially after dealing with that angry kid who looked and sounded just like this one who insisted he killed him on another Earth. Jackie got chills just thinking about it. Maybe he owed it to Jason to take him in so that he didn't end up hopping dimensions and getting killed by a monster?

Besides, from the looks of it, he had enough monsters in his own backyard.

"Come back with me to my not-so-secret-lair; I'll make some hot cocoa," Jackie said.

"You're sure I'm not trying to trick you?"

"Are  _you_  sure  _I'm_  not trying to trick  _you_?" Jackie said.

Jason just looked at him.

"Come on. The first thing I'm going to do is teach you how to have a sense of humor," Jackie said.

* * *

The day he took Jason back to his ha ha hacienda, as he liked to call it, it was almost like his life started over. He again had a purpose, and it was in the form of a poor mistreated orphan boy who started working for Owlman for scraps. Contrary to what Owlman wanted anyone to believe, his Talons weren't his kids, they were more like his employees, and the relationship was cold, impersonal, and sometimes even violent.

That's the very last thing Jason needed; he needed a loving family, and luckily for Jason, Jackie thrived off of love and family. He needed it to make life worth living, especially after the murder of Evelyn and Duela. The clown cursed the sloppily dressed bald men who wanted him to live in humorless darkness and the citizens of Gotham on Earth-something-or-other to go without a hero.


	2. Chapter 2

Jason shivered as he stood in the Owl's secret hideaway in the mountains. How did he get back here? 

Just then, someone threw Jackie's bloody and lifeless body across the room. Blood mixed with makeup. 

"No! Dad!" Jason screamed. 

Before he had time to cry, Owlman grabbed him by the neck and held him against the wall.  

You made a fool out of me Jason, siding with this...this clown! You're going to pay!" Owlman growled.

The ex-Talon struggled against his restraints. There was a throwing star wedged in his neck, and he was losing a lot of blood.

"Did you think I wouldn't find you? No one humiliates Owlman!"

Jason felt Owlman's spiked gauntlet collide with his face. More blood poured to the ground; he was beginning to feel light-headed and dizzy.

Owlman landed on top of him with a sickening thud. The boy felt one of his ribs crack. The Owl raised his foot and kicked the boy onto his side.

"I could have made you into one of the most powerful people in the world, Jason!" Owlman spat.

Ex-Talon let out a groan.

"...you could have had superhuman powers as a made man..."

The Owl lifted Jason by the collar.

"...but you gave it up, and for what? Your little girlfriend is dead, and I'm working on her father!"

Jason felt himself being slammed into the brick wall; more bones popped, and pain shot through his back.

"Please...please...please stop," Jason said weakly.

A fist suddenly connected with Jason's face, slamming his head against cold concrete.

"You're a disappointment; you always were too soft!" Owlman shouted.

Jason felt pressure on his back as Owlman brought his foot down on his spine. The kid heard a sickening crunch.

 _How could I have been so stupid? Thinking I was going to run away with that girl?_ Jason thought.

Duela was dead; the Jokester was dying, and now it looked like he was next. 

Then, he woke up.

* * *

Ex-Talon Jason Todd sat up in bed in a cold sweat and looked at his alarm clock.

 _7:00 AM._  

 _It was just a nightmare._ Jason thought. 

It was one of the many nightmares he was having about Owlman finding him. The comedian had been a welcoming host, but the idea that one day he was going to wake back up in Owlman's clutches kept him awake many nights.

The Owl had eyes everywhere. It was probably just a matter of time before he found him and made him pay.

The ex-Talon rubbed his forehead.

Jason was interrupted by a rooster crowing; he looked outside to see the sun shining brightly through the window. He looked at the peaceful day with curiosity, as if he didn't believe it was real. 

Just then, there was a knock at his door.

Jason cautiously opened it. 

"Wakey wakey Jay Jay. I know you don't want to miss your first day of school!" Jackie said in a sing-songy voice. 

The ex-Talon buried his head under the covers. 

"I'm sixteen! Do I have to?" Jason whined. 

"No? I guess not, but just think of all of the wonderful experiences you'll be missing!" Jackie said. 

"I'm...fine with missing 'em," Jason replied with a nervous smile.

Jackie put his fingers to his chin, gave a sigh, shrugged his shoulders, and then about-faced and walked away, gently closing the door behind him.  

The clown didn't really blame the kid for not wanting to go to school, what with Owlman and the Crime Syndicate _still_ running around. Paris was a safe haven, but even it wasn't paradise. He worried a little about his family's safety every day. 

It also didn't help that he knew Owlman wasn't going to be absent from Gotham for long, and it was only a matter of time before the Jokester would be needed again. He was hoping they could enjoy the peace while they had it, but that was easier said than done. They were constantly looking over their shoulders, especially Jason. 

Jokester should have probably taken them all to a secret fortress instead of a Parisian country home, but he had what he had, and he wasn't about to let Jason hide away forever in the not-so-secret-lair. The kid needed to learn that the world wasn't out to get him, and, given his history as the Owl's sidekick, that was going to be _hard_. 

 


	3. Chapter 3

Jason continued to hide in his room, tucked away from the world, and he also continued to have nightmares about Owlman. Memories of that night plagued him. One particular stormy night, the ex-Talon had a particularly vivid flashback. 

_Duela, his new girlfriend, just introduced him to the family whom she had affectionately nicknamed the Riddler family. Upon hearing the news, Jackie went crazy, crazier than he already was. Jason thought he was going to throw something._

_"If this is some kind of joke, young lady, it's not funny!"_

_The Jokester proceeded to berate Duela and claim that she wasn't even his daughter._

_The comedian's tone made Jason shake with anger; didn't that clown even realize how much they had given up just to have this moment? He clutched Duela's arm and fired his grappling gun to escape before things escalated._

_Once they were safe on another rooftop, Jason turned to face his girlfriend, a look of concern on both their faces._

_"Don't mind my dad; he was just..." Duela started. She had a calm nervous expression on her face. It was much different than the energetic carefree clownish personality she normally displayed. Her striking lavender eyes were wide and watery, and her lips were in a sincere yet disappointed-looking pout._

_Jason silenced her with a kiss before she could finish her sentence._

_"Don't worry. It's going to be okay. It's going to be..." he said._

_Just then, something landed behind him with a ping. Out of the corner of his eye, Todd saw a glimmering owlarang sticking out of the ground. A huge shadow eclipsed the two as Owlman made his appearance. Owlman grabbed Jason by the throat and threw him onto the hard concrete of the rooftop._

_"I hope you've enjoyed your time with your little girlfriend, Jason. It'll be the last time you two ever spend together," Owlman said coldly._

_A larger more imposing Talon kicked Jason out of the way before jabbing a dagger into Duela's throat. Jason stood helplessly watching her fall over and bleed out. Laughter and blood filled her mouth as she died with an eerie smile on her face._

_"Duela!" Jason looked at his attacker with confusion and anger; in a rage, he leaped for Owlman._

_Owlman kicked Jason to the ground once again and stood over Duela's corpse laughing._

_"Don't worry, you'll be joining her very soon," Owlman cooed._

_Just then, something that sounded like a sonic boom roared, and a nearby rock collapsed, revealing the rest of the Crime Syndicate._

_"Good job! You lead us right to them," Ultraman said darkly, stepping out of the shadows._

_"This fiasco ends tonight," Owlman said calmly as he drew a sharp owl-shaped weapon from his cloak. Talon winced, preparing for the inevitable. He knew this was it._

_Suddenly, there was an explosion. The Jokester's mad cackling echoed through the night. Owlman fell to the ground and smoke started filling the air. Jason used the distraction escape, never looking back._

The sound of a ticking clock in his room pulled Jason out of his flashback. 

"Duela?" Jason asked. 

Jason looked at the little clown-shaped clock ticking back and forth, moving its eyes to keep count of the seconds. The comedian who took him in certainly had strange decor choices.

Just then, he heard another sound, the faint hooting of an owl.

"Hoo-hoo," 

The sound sent shivers up his spine. 

 _It's only a matter of time until he finds me,_ Jason thought. 

The ex-Talon wrapped himself in a blanket and covered his head. It didn't make him feel any safer, though. Just then, he heard a crack of thunder and a small bump. 

"Dad, is that...is that you?" Jason asked cautiously. Jackie had gone to some kind of nighttime meeting; he didn't really ask for details. 

Another clap of thunder sounded. The kid noticed a branch tapping on the window from being blown by the wind. 

"Get a hold of yourself," Jason said, forcing himself to relax. 

The ex-Talon sighed and stared at the rain outside. The little owl continued to hoot, mocking him it seemed. 

Lingering memories of Duela flashed in his mind. 

"I wish I would have never met Owlman," Jason said to himself. 

Memories of who he was before being reduced to begging for his life at the feet of the Owl of Gotham filled his mind. Even with both of his parents dead, he managed to take care of himself until Owlman got involved and killed Roman Sionis, who was like a dad to him. The younger Jason would have probably laughed out loud if he saw who he was now, wrapped up in a blanket and jumping at bumps in the night. 

Jason heard Owlman's demented laughter in his head. With a growl, he threw off the covers and looked defiantly at the stormy skies. 

_This is pathetic. I've been hiding out like one of his victims for months. If Owlman saw me like this, he'd probably laugh before slitting my throat. I can't keep doing this! If he finds me, he finds me. I'm probably a sitting duck here anyway._

The teen realized that his fears were driving him to hide like scared prey. That had to be just what Owlman wanted. Jason wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of seeing his fear again, not if he could help it. 

With that, Jason slipped on a raincoat and disappeared into the night. 

The teen looked back at the little country house with embarrassment and anger; he didn't exactly know why he was angry or who he was angry with. Was it with Owlman for threatening to kill him and scaring him even without being anywhere near him? Jackie for rejecting Duela and letting him be afraid? Dick for acting like a loyal servant instead of standing up for him that night?

Another clap of thunder sounded as Jason attempted to cover himself with his jacket. 

Or was he angry with himself and just looking for someone to blame? 

Lightning illuminated some water on the ground enough for him to see his reflection. Jason glared at it and kicked the puddle. 

 _If I only would have stood my ground, she would still be alive,_ Jason thought as he walked toward the pouring rain. 

 

 

 

 

 

 


End file.
